Adjustable diaper



0t 23, 1956 F. FRANsEN- 2 ,767;714v

ADJUSTABLE DIAPER Filed Ju1y`14, 1954 jf vf5 f5 hu' 221,; J

United 4States Patent vO ADJUSTABLE DIAPER Frances Fransen, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 14, 1954, Serial No. 443,355

2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-284) This invention relates to new improvements in babies diapers.

During the stage of life of a child when a diaper comprises his wardrobe, the rate of growth of the child is rather rapid, requiring diapers of increasing size. Since a change in the size requirement of a diaper involves replacement of an entire set, a rather substantial expense is imposed upon the parents. Thus it is apparent that a diaper capable of being adjusted to meet varying size requirements would be extremely desirable.

Another desirable feature in diaper design is to provide a diaper which eliminates the need for pins, a hazardous object to have in proximity to a child.

Furthermore, since an infant frequently wears a panty, the provision of a diaper which can also simulate a panty would be an economic boon to the average parent.

Consequently, the general object of this invention is the provision of a pinless diaper which can be adjusted to meet varying size requirements of an infant, and which can also be used as a panty.

A more specific inventive Object involves the provision of a diaper which is fastened to a childs body by the use of tied strips of fabric or tape, wherein the material of the diaper is elastic fabric, similar in design to panties, and the strips of tape can be tied in a variety of positions corresponding to various diaper sizes.

A further -specific inventive object is the provision of a diaper of panty garment for babies made from an elastic fabric shaped to t around the crotch of an infant and having projecting lateral material for encompassing the hips, and further provided with tapelike strips for tying the material encompassing the hips to the material covering the abdomen in a variety of positions corresponding to the size requirements of a growing infant.

Other objects and inventive details will become more apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the diaper when not in use.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the diaper as worn by an infant.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the diaper as adapted to t a larger infant.

Referring to Figure 1, it is seen that the diaper comprises the flat piece of elastic fabric having the narrow front portion 11 and the relatively wider rear portion 12 integrally joined by the middle crotch portion 13 which is bounded by the curved sides 14 and 14a. The rear portion 12 is bounded by the straight parallel sides 15 and 16, which intersect the straight edge 17 transversely. For tying purposes, edges and 16 include the aligned strips of fabric or tape 18 and 19 adjacent the edge 17 and the aligned tape strips 20 and 21 adjacent the intersections 22 and 23 of the edges 16 and 17 with the curved sides 15 and 14, respectively. Tape strips 20 and 21 are shorter than strips 18 and 19, for purposes to be disclosed.

Referring now to the lower portion 11, it is seen that y, 2,767,714 lrimmed oet. Y2a, 195s ICS adjacent the outer edge 24, which isparallel to the edge 17, there are provided the strips 25 and'26 parallely disposed to the edges 17 and 24. Strip 25 extends from edge 27 to edge 28, being sewed thereto, and is further attached by stitching or the like to the elastic fabric at a plurality of spaced points 29, 30, 31 and 32, whereby there is provided a plurality of loops. Similarly, strips 26 are attached to the fabric at a location spaced from strip 25, and closer to the center of the garment.

In operation, as better seen in Figure 3, the edge 24 ts about the infants abdomen with the strips 25 and 26 facing outwardly. Then the crotch portion 13 is snugly but comfortably fitted about the infants crotch until the rear portion 12 is in alignment with the front portion 11. Inasmuch as the rear portion 12 is wider than the front portion 11, the edges 15 and 16 will extend towards the infants abdomen when the rear portion 12 is fitted against the infants body. As a result, the curved edges 14 and 14a will tit across the thighs, and the material adjacent the edges 15 and 16 will cover the hips, bringing the strips 18, 19, 20 and 21 near the strips 25 and 26. By inserting the ends of strips 18 and 19 into the loops of strip 25 and securing with a bow, a variety of positions can be obtained to meet varying girth requirements. Furthermore, greater adjustability can be had by merely varying the tension in the tying strips. Similarly, strips 20 and 21 are used in conjunction with the loops of strips 26. In Figure 3, only the upper tying strips are used, Whereas in Figure 2 both tying strips are used.

Preferably, the diaper is fabricated from a flannel or birdseye cloth, thereby rendering the garment dually serviceable as a panty. However, other conventional diaper materials can be used.

It is apparent that the objects above recited have been provided by the disclosed garment in an arrangement involving low fabrication costs. The garment can rapidly be secured to the infant without the use of dangerous pins and without the application of pressure against the tender skin of an infant. Moreover, due to the adjustability, the garment can be worn by the infant during the entire diaper stage of his life.

It should be also understood that the species resulting from the combination of different forms of the disclosed elements or from variations in size, shape or material, are all contemplated within the inventive scope.

Having thus disclosed the details of the instant invention, what is now claimed as novel, is as follows:

l. An adjustable diaper, comprising a piece of elastic fabric, having front and rear portions integrally joined by a crotch portion of relatively narrow width, said rear portion having tying strips extending laterally from its lateral edges and said front portion having plural means for securing said strips thereto positioned along the outer face of said front portion, whereby the diaper can be Wrapped about the lower quarters of an infant and secured about the waistline to accommodate varying infant dimensions, wherein the front portion is wider than the crotch portion, and the rear portion is su'lciently wide to encompass the body from the backside to the thighs of the infant, wherein the rear portion is sufficiently long to extend from the waist to approximately midway between the waist and the knee, the said crotch portion having sides curving from the lower edge of the rear of the rear portion to the front portion, whereby the crotch portion will substantially follow the intersection of the lower abdomen and the thighs of the infant, wherein the front and rear portions have outer edges normal to the longitudinal axis of the diaper, and the tying strips extend parallel to the last said edges, and wherein the said plural means comprise strips of fabric secured to the front portion parallel to the front portion outer edge at a plurality of points,

whereby a series of loops result for securing said tying strips.

2. A diaper, as in claim'l, wherein the material is annel and the tying strips are arranged in a plurality of parallel tiers and, correspondingly, the loops are arranged 5 in parallel tiers.

4 References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

